Liquid storage container with adjustable internal volume

ABSTRACT

A liquid storage container having an adjustable internal volume for the removal of vacant air space is disclosed. The liquid storage container comprises a tubular sleeve having a top lid portion and a bottom plunger having an outer gasket housed within the sleeve. In use, liquid from a first container is added or liquid is removed from the liquid storage container wherein the bottom plunger is sized and shaped to facilitate manual movement of the plunger either up or down within the sleeve. During the plungers movement the outer gasket engages the interior of the sleeve for providing a liquid tight arrangement while simultaneously allowing the bottom plunger to telescopically move up or down within the sleeve in response to applied forces adjusting the liquid storage containers internal volume for the removal of vacant air space or for allowing a liquid to be added to the liquid storage container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a storage container for receiving liquids and more particularly relates to adjusting based on the amount of liquid the internal volume of the storage container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Retail supermarkets and stores are selling carbonated sodas in increasingly large volumes. Typically, these large volumes are offered in plastic bottles having volumes of up to 2 liters or more. With respect to offering carbonated soda in bulk, such as 2 liter bottles, a consumer will buy these types of bottles due to the reduction in sales price of the carbonated soda in comparison to buying the same product in smaller containers. Bulk or large containers are easier to handle and cheaper to make than the large number of small bottles or cartons used to hold a similar volume of product.

However, a problem exists when buying carbonated sodas in large containers in that once the container has been opened and a quantity of the soda is removed, the quality i.e. the “effervesce” of the soda remaining in the container deteriorates over a relatively short period of time. Eventually, the quality deteriorates to the point where there is only a negligible amount of carbon dioxide remaining in the soda, the majority of the carbon dioxide being in the gaseous atmosphere of the bottle. This is because of the change in gas/liquid pressure equilibrium within the container resulting from the volume of soda which had been poured out from the container. The same may be said for fermenting liquids such as wine. Therefore, despite saving money through the buying of sodas in a bulk container, if all of the soda is not completely consumed in a short period of time, the remaining soda in the container becomes undrinkable and is subsequently thrown out. Hence, by throwing away the unused soda portion, all of the money saved by buying in bulk is lost because all of the soda was not used quickly enough.

Many prior art attempts have been made to address the above problem. One such prior art attempt adjusts the internal volume of a container and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,448, entitled “Compressible Container with Adjustable Internal Volume” and teaches of a collapsible apparatus wherein the original 2 liter plastic bottle is inserted into the apparatus, and is forcefully compressed by applying pressure either by use of discrete notches or screw on threads that forces the plastic bottle to collapse, thereby reducing the bottles internal volume. However, bottle makers would need to provide bottles collapsible by thinning the bottles midsection wall structure and in doing so would run the risk of weakening the sealed soda bottles from the factory which must withstand up to 120 psi. This might cause the products to burst from shipment or heat stress while in transport.

Another, prior art attempt to adjust internal volume is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,287 entitled “Variable size nursing bottle” which discloses a nursing bottle that can be adjusted in size so as to reduce the vacant space within the bottle to prevent a vacuum from forming in the bottle during infant feeding. The bottle includes a cup-shaped liner that is telescopically slidable within a tubular sleeve. A circumferential rib on the liner has snap-fit engagement with selected grooves in the sleeve wall for determining the effective size of the bottle. However, this limits reducing the bottles volume to predetermined set points.

However, the techniques or apparatus disclosed above in the prior art suffer from one or more disadvantages in adjusting the internal volume of a container, such as the compressible container which requires a manufacturer to provide a bottle construction which may not be able to provide the required pressure necessary to transport carbonated sodas. Also, the nursing bottle discloses a method to prevent a vacuum condition from arising during an infant's feeding cycle and does so by only allowing a few set volumetric reductions.

In view of the aforesaid problems, it is understood that there exists a need for a new and improved liquid container whose internal volume is adjustable such that unused carbonated sodas or wine may be stored for future desirable consumption that may be used multiple times, is easy to use, empty and keep clean. The present invention solves this and other problems in a unique and novel fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A liquid storage container having an adjustable internal volume for the removal of vacant air space is disclosed. The liquid storage container comprises a tubular sleeve having a top lid portion and a bottom plunger having an outer gasket housed within the sleeve. In use, liquid from a first container is added or liquid is removed from the liquid storage container wherein the bottom plunger is sized and shaped to facilitate manual movement of the plunger either up or down within the sleeve. During the plungers movement the outer gasket engages the interior of the sleeve for providing a liquid tight arrangement while simultaneously allowing the bottom plunger to telescopically move up or down within the sleeve in response to applied forces adjusting the liquid storage containers internal volume for the removal of vacant air space or for allowing a liquid to be added to the liquid storage container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that the drawing depicts only illustrated embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the liquid storage container of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the liquid storage container shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A through 3C are side views illustrating one preferred embodiment of a method for adjusting air volume within the liquid storage container in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating another preferred embodiment of a method for adjusting air volume within the liquid storage container.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown the liquid storage container 10 in accordance with the present invention. The liquid storage container 10 comprises a tubular sleeve 12 having a removable top lid portion 14 and a bottom plunger 16 housed within sleeve 12. The bottom plunger 16 is sized and shaped to facilitate manual movement of the plunger 16 either up or down within sleeve 12. More specifically, bottom plunger 16 utilizes an outer gasket 15 to engage the interior of sleeve 12 for providing a liquid tight arrangement while simultaneously allowing the bottom plunger 16 to telescopically move up or down within sleeve 12 in responses to applied forces, as will be more fully described below.

Turning once again to FIGS. 1 and 2, in one preferred embodiment the bottom plunger 16 further defines a handle or grip 18 sized to be grasped by a human hand for telescopically applying up or down forces for telescopically moving the bottom plunger 16 within sleeve 12. The removable top lid portion 14 engages and seals the top of sleeve 12 when storing a liquid housed within sleeve 12 between the removable top portion 14 and a top 20 of bottom plunger 16 from leaking out. Additionally, the removable top lid portion 14 defines a sealing cap 22 for adding or removing liquid within sleeve 12, as will be more fully described below. Lastly, in another preferred embodiment a sleeve handle 24 may be provided for ease of use when handling liquid storage container 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A through 3C, in use liquid from a first container such as a plastic bottle containing carbonated soda (not shown) or wine from a glass bottle (not shown) is poured into the sleeve 12 by removing top lid portion 14 of the liquid storage container 10 and then reattaching top lid portion to sleeve 12 (not shown) of the liquid storage container 10. The liquid now housed within sleeve 12 may partially be removed through sealing cap 22 which leaves a first volume of air or vacant air space 28 and a volume of liquid 26 within the sleeve 12 of the liquid storage container 10. In accordance with the present invention, this effective volume of air 28 or vacant air space is evacuated through an opened sealing cap 22 within the sleeve 12 of the liquid storage container 10. The vacant air space 28 is mostly removed by applying an upward force 30 to the bottom plunger 16, such that the volume of liquid 26 is adjusted in height relative to its height prior to application of this force as measured from the top 20 of the bottom plunger 16. The bottom plunger 16 at rest is now operative to retain the liquid 26 in the liquid storage container 10 after removal of the force from the plunger 16. Next the sealing cap is closed 22 b wherein the storage container's 10 volume is not subject to further alteration since the vacant air space 28 has mostly been eliminated.

It should be understood, that when adding a liquid 26 into the storage container 10, the bottom plunger 16 is pulled down creating a volume of air space for receiving liquids from a container wherein after the liquid has been poured the plunger once again may be moved upward to remove the unwanted vacant air space. Additionally, the tubular sleeve 12 and plunger 16 may be any shape for example round, oblong or square in shape wherein the tubular sleeve 12 has a circumference large enough such that the plunger handle 18 can be operated by hand (not shown) wherein the opening at the bottom of the sleeve is large enough for a hand to fit in and move the plunger up and down. Also, in the case of carbonated sodas, the tubular sleeve 12 needs to be transparent or partially transparent to see the adjustment of the soda during plunger movement and have a wall thickness to support and contain carbonated sodas wherein the wall thickness will support and house an internal pressure of between 80 and 120 psi.

Turning now to FIG. 4, there is shown another preferred embodiment for moving the plunger up and down by utilizing mating threads 30 and 32 formed on the inside 32 of the tubular sleeve and threads 30 defined on the exterior of the plunger. It should be understood that in this embodiment the tubular sleeve and plunger both must be cylindrical in shaped and sized so that the plunger will through screw rotation move up and down the length of the tubular sleeve as opposed to pushing or pulling on the plunger. Also, in cases where the diameter of the sleeve will not allow use of a user's hand the plunger may be rotated using a socket wrench combination (not shown) as opposed to using a plunger handle for cranking the plunger up and down. Also, in the case of wines, the tubular sleeve 12 needs to be darkly tinted or opaque to protect the wine from sunlight.

Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid storage container having an adjustable internal volume, comprising: a tubular sleeve having a removable top lid portion; said tubular sleeve housing a bottom plunger having an outer gasket and plunger handle; wherein said bottom plunger is sized and shaped to facilitate manual movement of said plunger within said sleeve for adjusting the liquid storage containers internal volume.
 2. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein said outer gasket engages an interior of said sleeve for providing a liquid tight arrangement while simultaneously allowing said bottom plunger to telescopically move up within said sleeve in response to an applied force using said plunger handle thereby removing vacant air space within the liquid storage container.
 3. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein said outer gasket engages an interior of said sleeve for providing a liquid tight arrangement while simultaneously allowing said bottom plunger to telescopically move down within said sleeve in response to an applied force using said plunger handle thereby allowing additional liquid to be added to the liquid storage container.
 4. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein said tubular sleeve defines a wall thickness sufficient to house a liquid having an internal pressure between 80 to 120 psi.
 5. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein said tubular sleeve defines a circumference large enough to allow said plunger handle to be griped and rotated by hand.
 6. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein said tubular sleeve is transparent or semi-transparent when used for storing carbonated sodas.
 7. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein said plunger handle is a wrench and socket combination for cranking said plunger up and down.
 8. A liquid storage container having an adjustable internal volume, comprising: a tubular sleeve having a removable top lid portion and defining an internal screw thread pattern; said tubular sleeve housing a bottom plunger defining an external screw thread pattern and a plunger handle; wherein said bottom plunger is sized and shaped to facilitate manual movement of said plunger by mating said plunger's screw thread pattern within said sleeves screw thread pattern for adjusting the liquid storage containers internal volume.
 9. The storage container according to claim 8, wherein said outer gasket engages an interior of said sleeve for providing a liquid tight arrangement while simultaneously allowing said bottom plunger to telescopically move up within said sleeve in response to an applied force by rotating said plunger handle thereby removing vacant air space within the liquid storage container.
 10. The storage container according to claim 8, wherein said outer gasket engages an interior of said sleeve for providing a liquid tight arrangement while simultaneously allowing said bottom plunger to telescopically move down within said sleeve in response to an applied force by rotating said plunger handle thereby allowing additional liquid to be added to the liquid storage container.
 11. The storage container according to claim 8, wherein said tubular sleeve is darkly tinted or opaque when used for storing wines.
 12. The storage container according to claim 8, wherein said plunger handle is a wrench and socket combination for cranking said plunger up and down. 